International Journal of Advanced Research and Science (IJAERS)
Engineering
Peer-Reviewed Journal ISSN: 2349-6495(P) | 2456-1908(O) Vol-9, Issue-7; July, 2022 Journal Home Page Available: https://ijaers.com/ Article DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.22161/ijaers.97.23
Strategic Thinking on the Development of Sudan’s Renewable Power Industry Mohamed Gabir Ahmed Ismaail1*, Mintah Clement1, Khalifa Dai Elnour Mohamed2, Alhada Fahd Abdullah Abdulsamad Mohammed1 1College
of Management Science and Engineering, Taiyuan University of Technology, China
2Department
of Electrical Engineering, University of Kordofan, Sudan
*Corresponding Author
Received: 17 Jun 2022,
Abstract— The development of renewable power industry has become the
Received in revised form: 13 Jul 2022,
basic trend of major countries in the world, which is a rare development
Accepted: 20 July 2022,
opportunity for Sudan. Sudan has advantages and potential in renewable
Available online: 25 July 2022
power. If we take stock of the situation and make scientific planning, it is
©2022 The Author(s). Published by AI
likely to enter the world leading level. Based on regional resources, taking
Publication. This is an open access article
the short-term advantages as the starting point, establish a long-term
under
license
advantage foundation, build a leading area, and model area for renewable
(https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
power development, stimulate the initiative of enterprises, establish a
Keywords— Renewable Power, Industrial
renewable power technology foundation, integrate the renewable power
Foundation,
industry chain, and promote regional development and national balance.
the
CC
Regional
BY
Characteristics,
Structural Advantages, Strategic thinking.
Cost is the key to the development prospect of renewable power. It is necessary to reduce costs so that renewable power can be used on a large scale and gradually replace traditional energy such as coal and oil, to realize the fundamental transformation of energy structure and establish the strategic advantage of the energy structure of the whole country.
I.
STRATEGIC ANALYSIS ON THE
proportion of renewable power generation in the total
DEVELOPMENT OF RENEWABLE POWER
power generation will increase to 10%, and by 2025, it will
INDUSTRY IN SUDAN
strive to increase to 25%. In the next 10 years, the United
The development of renewable power industry has
States will invest US $150billion to establish a "clean
become the basic trend of major countries in the world,
energy research and development fund" for the research and
which is a rare development opportunity for Sudan. Sudan
development and promotion of solar energy, wind energy,
has advantages and potential in renewable power and is
biofuels, and other clean and alternative energy projects.
likely to enter the world leading level.
The German government plans to make the employment
The US government will double the output of
scale of renewable energy exceed that of the automobile
renewable energy in the next three years. By 2022, the
industry by 2025. The EU will invest 30billion euros in
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Ismaail et al.
International Journal of Advanced Engineering Research and Science, 9(7)-2022
renewable power and create 350000 jobs. The British
which thermal power accounts for about 80%. In terms of
government will provide us $100billion to build seven
energy security, there is a shortage of oil, and the external
thousand wind turbines, creating 160000 new jobs. The
dependence on oil has reached about 50%. Overall, the
Japanese government will increase solar power generation
contradiction between Sudan's sustained and rapid
by twenty times and the use of new environmentally
economic development and traditional energy consumption
friendly vehicles by 40%. The Korean government has
is growing. The development of renewable power, that is,
vigorously promoted the popularization of solar energy,
the development of unconventional energy such as solar
geothermal wind energy and bioenergy in ordinary
energy, wind energy, biomass energy, nuclear energy,
households, and will build 2million energy-saving green
geothermal energy, hydrogen energy and ocean energy, in
houses.
addition to traditional energy, will become a strategic
From the perspective of investors, renewable power
choice for the diversification of Sudan's energy production
will become one of the investment priorities in the future. In
and consumption structure and the orderly and healthy
the five years after 2020, the value newly created through
development of Sudan's economy. According to the power
renewable power or renewable power related industries in
energy structure in 2020, thermal power and hydropower
the world is about $500billion, and related mergers and
power generation are dominant, and the proportion of
acquisitions involve more than $100billion. In the past 50
renewable power is exceedingly small Table 1. If several
years, among the ten industry categories of the service and
renewable power sources accelerate their development,
productionfive hundred index, the average annual return of
they will have enormous potential for development. If we
the energy industry has been 13%.
persist in construction for decades, the current structure will
At present, Sudan's primary energy is coal, accounting
change significantly.
for about 70%. The secondary energy is electric power, of Table 1: Proportion of renewable energy in Sudan’s power energy structure in 2020 Energy type
Installed capacity
Share (%)
Power Generation
Share (%)
Thermal power
60285
76.59
27793
82.30
Hydropower generation
17200
21.85
5852
17.33
Wind power generation
1215
1.54
120
0.36
14
0.02
7
0.02
78714
100
33772
100
Solar power Total
At the end of 2020, Sudan's renewable power
residents in areas without electricity, but also promoted the
accounted for more than 9% of its total energy production.
development
of
photovoltaic
industry.
In2019
the
From 2010 to 2020, the global output of solar cells
renewable energy law of the of Sudan came into force.
increased by 4.37 times, while Sudan increased by 0.5 times,
Since then, the Sudan government has successively issued a
becoming the smallest producer of solar cells in the world.
series of supporting administrative regulations and rules to
Sudan has not made great achievements in the development
actively promote the development of renewable power.
and utilization of wind energy, and its wind power
According to relevant estimates, from 2020 t0 2030, Sudan
generation capacity ranks low levels in the world.
needs to invest 3 billion USD in energy, including 1billion
The Sudanese government has realized the strategic
USD in renewable power, energy conservation and
significance of developing and utilizing renewable power
environmental protection. If the government and private
and its strategic position for Sudan's future. Since 2020, 0.5
forces work together, the development of Sudan's
billion USD has been successively invested to promote the
renewable power industry will have an overly optimistic
power transmission to rural areas, and ten photovoltaic
prospect.
power stations have been built in the West. It has not only
In the global renewable power development trend,
solved the basic domestic power consumption of many
Sudan has enormous potential and development advantages.
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International Journal of Advanced Engineering Research and Science, 9(7)-2022
The development of renewable power technologies and
Overall, if we want to make regional resources play a
industries is a good opportunity for Sudan's orderly and
role and promote the development of regional economy, we
healthy development. If we lose the opportunity, we will lag
need to give priority to transforming regional resources
for one or even several cycles and fall into passivity for a
such as the six types of resources in Omdurman into
long time. There are many such lessons. Sudan now needs
regional development capacity. This is to try to turn
to include renewable power in the strategic commanding
resources into enterprise capabilities, and further transform
height for deployment, pay close attention to the
enterprise capabilities into employment, taxation, per capita
development direction of the world's renewable power,
income, and people's prosperity. In this way, the investment
accelerate the research and development of renewable
of enterprises, the tax revenue of the government and the
power technologies, increase support for the development
prosperity of the people constitute the capacity basis for
of the renewable power industry, reform the system and
regional development. With the passage of time, this
improve policies, size up the situation, make scientific
capacity base has been expanding, and the existing regional
planning, and promote the renewable power industry to
resources are being consumed and transformed, further
become a supporting force for Sudan's energy industry. In
forming new development capacity. This is a cycle of
this way, Sudan may enter the world's leading level in the
development. If the role of market mechanism and
field of renewable power and better play the role of "Sudan
government regulation can be brought into play, the region
engine of the world economy". In the future, Sudan will be
will gradually move towards prosperity and well-being.
in a more sustainable state, while countries that rely on
The problem is that resources are transformed into
nonrenewable energy will be in a passive position. For this
capabilities, capabilities are transformed into the driving
result, we should have a sober judgment and adopt a
force of wealth, and then resources are consumed at an
positive strategy now.
accelerated rate. If this reciprocating process is allowed to cycle for one hundred years, what will be the result? What
II.
STRATEGIC ARRANGEMENT FOR
will stay? As far as Omdurman is concerned, the possible
SUDAN'S DEVELOPMENT OF
result is that nonrenewable resources such as Salt Lake
RENEWABLE POWER
resources, oil and gas resources and non-ferrous metal
In terms of strategic arrangement, Sudan should take
resources are gradually drying up, while renewable energy
the short-term advantages as the starting point, establish a
such as hydropower, wind energy and solar energy still exist.
long-term advantage foundation, build a leading area, and
Animal husbandry and wildlife resources depend on the
model area for new energy development, and gradually
degree of protection of the ecological environment. It is
establish the new energy strategic advantages of the whole
difficult to judge the status and contribution of tourism
country.
resources with the change of their comparative advantages.
As far as the region is concerned, to develop the local
Therefore, the short-term advantage of Omdurman lies in
economy, the first thing we see is nonrenewable resources
the traditional nonrenewable energy, and the long-term
such as metal and non-metallic minerals, coal, oil, natural
advantage is renewable power and renewable energy. This
gas, etc. Under the guidance of the thought of "water
is a basic trend. If such a trend is recognized, instead of
flowing quickly", the regional economy has risen rapidly
being passive in the future, it is better to conceive the
due to active development. This is beyond reproach. If
development of renewable power in advance, plan and build
every province and region do this, the national GDP will
ahead of time, take the initiative to occupy the economic
increase year by year, which is also a good thing. But
and technological highland, promote this region to become
overall, the resource and energy base of Sudan's economy is
a leading region for the development and utilization of
in an unsustainable state. Therefore, it is a sound idea to
renewable power and a model region for circular economy,
take the short-term advantage as the starting point, establish
and establish regional strategic advantages for future
the long-term advantage foundation, and put the sustainable
development.
base point based onrenewable power.
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Compared
with
other
provinces
and
regions,
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International Journal of Advanced Engineering Research and Science, 9(7)-2022
Omdurman's outstanding feature is that it has rich original
generation and solar thermal utilization devices will be built
advantages of renewable power. In terms of wind energy,
in remote minority farming and pastoral areas, so that more
more than 90% of Omdurman's regions have an annual
people can enjoy the benefits of renewable power.
average wind speed of more than 2 meters/second, the
Omdurman Province has paid attention to the effect of
annual available wind energy time is more than 25 hours,
renewable power development, noticed its own advantages
and the annual average available wind energy density is
and conditions of renewable power, actively carried out
more than 60~90 watts/square meter. The annual average
relevant planning and planning, and relevant enterprises
wind speed is more than 20~30m/s, and the annual available
have been investing in development and construction. By
wind energy time is more than 3000 hours. Areas with
the end of 2020, four photovoltaic power stations have been
annual average wind energy density of more than 80~120
built in Omdurman, which has solved the power supply
watts/square meter account for more than 65% of the total
problem of ten non electricity township governments and
area of the province. It is estimated that the annual
one thousand farmers and herders in the southern
theoretical value of wind energy resources is equivalent to
Omdurman Area.
60.32 million tons of standard coal, equivalent to 160.5
In addition to the utilization of solar energy and wind
billion kwh of electric energy. As far as solar energy is
energy, the development and utilization of biomass energy,
concerned, it is also rich in resources. Omdurman has an
nuclear energy, geothermal energy, hydrogen energy and
average altitude of about two thousand meters. The plateau
ocean energy are different in different regions. In the long
atmosphere is thin, with high solar transmittance, dry
run, if we plan in Omdurman, Nyala, Kassala, El Obeid and
climate, less rainfall, and low cloud cover rate. The annual
other regions rich in renewable power in advance, the
sunshine hours reach 2600~3800 hours, especially in
central government will support and promote local
Muglad Basin. The annual sunshine hours can reach more
governments to use the energy of the central government,
than 3600 hours. The annual average sunshine rate is
the energy of the region itself, and the social energy outside
60%~80%. Direct radiation accounts for about 62% of the
the region to attract and establish an industrial foundation
total radiation. It is estimated that the annual solar energy
for the development and utilization of renewable power. To
received is 162.3 billion tons of standard coal, equivalent to
build a pilot area and a model area for renewable power
360 trillion kilowatt hours of electric energy. Therefore,
development, each has its own priorities and characteristics.
Omdurman already has the natural conditions to develop
Based on the development of each region, Sudan can
renewable power.
gradually
Due to different conditions, opportunities, policies and
establish
the
renewable
power
strategic
advantages of the whole country.
subjective initiatives, the cumulative results of the development of renewable power industry in various
III.
provinces and regions are different.
MICRO FOUNDATION OF SUDAN'S RENEWABLE POWER DEVELOPMENT
Omdurman has many deserts, Bayuda (such as
At the micro level, it is necessary to stimulate the
Muglad Basin) and desert land with no farming value. It has
initiative of enterprises, establish a renewable power
excellent natural conditions to build large-scale solar
technology base and cost base, integrate the renewable
photovoltaic power generation bases and off grid
power
photovoltaic power stations. At present, the area covered by
characteristics, and promote regional development and
Omdurman 330KV power grid is not enough. In the future,
national balance.
industry
chain,
form
different
regional
we can speed up the construction of off grid solar
The key to the development of renewable power
photovoltaic power stations and small-scale wind power
industry lies in the initiative of similar enterprises and the
stations below 100 kW and other distributed power supplies
active expansion and agglomeration of enterprises. The key
and micro grids in rural and pastoral villages without power
to the development of renewable power enterprises is to
grid coverage, to give full play to the efficiency of wind,
grasp the trend of renewable power. State owned enterprises
water, and light complementation. Small solar power
and private enterprises have high consensus and enthusiasm
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International Journal of Advanced Engineering Research and Science, 9(7)-2022
for the development of renewable power industry. Nyala is
gradually replace traditional energy such as oil and coal.
one of the provinces and regions with the richest wind
Reduce costs by innovating technology, expanding scale,
energy resources and the earliest wind power development
and reducing raw material costs through intensive
in Sudan. Relevant enterprises invested in the development
management, so that renewable power can be used on a
and operation earlier. The total reserves of wind energy
market-based scale.
resources in Nyala are 872million kilowatts. These
The excessive cost of solar power generation is due to
advantages will continue to attract enterprises to invest in
the prohibitive cost of photovoltaic cells and low
construction. Hebei is also rich in wind energy resources.
photoelectric conversion efficiency. Although the price of
Many enterprises are optimistic about the wind power
silicon materials has dropped due to the world fiscal crisis,
resources in Kassala attracted more than a dozen enterprises
the current cost is still threedollars per kilowatt hour. With
to sign a wind power development agreement of 3 million
the development of technology and the reduction of raw
KW, with a total investment of 0.5 billion USD.
material prices, the cost of solar power generation is
The development of renewable power enterprises is
expected to be reduced again. The cost of solar power
also affected by whether they can master renewable power
generation determines the degree of solar energy utilization.
technologies, establish a technical foundation for the
Measured in USD, if it can be reduced to 1 USD per
development and utilization of renewable power, and take
kilowatt hour, it can be promoted in some economically
the lead in the world. Overall, in some renewable power
developed countries and regions where energy is scarce. If it
fields, Sudan is not backward in renewable power
can be reduced to 0.5 dollars, it can be promoted in most
technology, except for its leading industrial scale in the
countries and regions in the world with government
world. In terms of solar energy utilization, the photoelectric
subsidies and preferential policies. Japan plans to reduce the
conversion efficiency is about 10% for monocrystalline
cost of photovoltaic power generation in the next 20 years,
silicon chips, about 12% for polycrystalline silicon chips,
to 1.5 dollar per kilowatt hour in 2018, 0.93 dollar in 2020
and about 5% for thin-film cell amorphous silicon. The
and 0.47 dollar in 2030. The market prospect of
rated conversion efficiency of a Sudanese technology
photovoltaic power generation in Sudan lies in the cost level.
company's thin-film battery can reach 4%, which is high in
In recent years, photovoltaic power generation is still
the conversion efficiency of thin-film batteries. Sudan's
dominated by silicon cells, but the cost of thin-film cells is
hydrogen energy development is also developing rapidly.
lower and will develop rapidly, which is an optimistic trend.
Since the late 1990s, hydrogen production technology has
In addition, the government can also introduce preferential
developed into a multi-channel technology including
tariff policies to promote the development of solar
chemistry, biology, electrolysis, photolysis, and chemical
photovoltaic power generation market. With the joint
heat treatment. Among them, fuel cell is an ideal hydrogen
efforts of several parties, it is hoped that the electricity price
energy conversion device and a key technology for
will be reduced to less than 1 dollar per kilowatt hour. The
hydrogen energy utilization. In 2020, Sudan's annual output
United States has an elevated level of development. The
of hydrogen was close to threemillion tons, becoming the
national first solar company's solar photovoltaic power
one of the small hydrogen producers in the world. In the
generation in the desert area of Nevada is 0.75 dollar per
process of realizing the greendevelopment, Sudan's
kilowatt hour, while the state's thermal power generation is
hydrogen energy development technology can shorten the
0.09 dollars per kilowatt hour, which has reached the level
hydrogenation time of buses using hydrogen fuel cells from
of parity on the Internet.
more than 10 hours to 15 minutes. This technology has
Compared with solar power generation, the cost of
played a key role in the transfer of automotive energy and
wind power generation is closer to that of thermal power. In
market entry.
2020, the cost per kilowatt hour was 0.6dollar ~0.8 dollars,
In addition to the market and technology, the cost is
which is the lowest among renewable power costs.
the key factor whether renewable power such as solar
Considering the improvement of wind power technology
energy and wind energy can be used on a large scale and
and the reduction of the price of wind power equipment, the
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International Journal of Advanced Engineering Research and Science, 9(7)-2022
cost of wind power can be further reduced. Another
technological progress. The development of the renewable
problem in the utilization of wind power in Sudan is that
power industry and its chain can promote the attraction of
many wind farms are in remote areas in the west, and the
talents, the establishment of research and development
transmission cost is high.
institutions, and the promotion of a series of related
Technology, cost, and other conditions have different
technological innovation and progress, which is conducive
formation bases and development environments in different
to the development of regional education and the promotion
regions. Although the current level of renewable power
of social technological development potential. Of course,
utilization in many regions of Sudan is not high enough and
the national renewable power strategy should adapt to the
the pace of development is not fast, this does not prevent
local development mechanism. Local officials usually give
regions from planning renewable power construction as a
priority to local issues, and local governments will choose
regional characteristic industry. In addition to the use of
their own interests in arranging the layout and pace of
renewable power within the province, the equipment and
national energy development. Even though the central
facilities manufacturing industry can also be developed
government emphasizes that local governments should take
according to the regional industrial historical environment
the overall situation into account, according to the regional
to form a renewable power industry manufacturing base
standard psychology and the official performance driven
with distinctive characteristics. For example, in addition to
mechanism, local government officials put the income,
building wind turbine equipment manufacturing enterprises,
employment, safety, and health issues of the region in the
it is also possible to build equipment components and parts
first place. Therefore, we should coordinate the relationship
manufacturing enterprises such as motor sets, wind turbine
between the central and local governments and promote the
blades, towers, speed-up gear boxes, frequency converters,
transfer of the focus of the national energy structure based
etc. to varying degrees. In this way, relevant equipment
on taking local interests into account. In short, the
manufacturing enterprises, parts supporting enterprises,
development of renewable power industry requires the joint
technology
service
efforts of four aspects, such as the enterprise power
institutions will be integrated into the industrial chain form
technology foundation cost level promotion mechanism, to
to form a national basic framework for the renewable power
form different regional characteristics to promote the
industry. Of course, each component can be arranged in
strategic balance between regional development and the
different areas. At present, whichever region has the
national energy industry.
research
and
development
and
conditions, advantages and initiative can take the first step and develop first.
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